Road Safety 101: How to Safely Jump-Start a Car

Road Safety 101: How to Safely Jump-Start a Car

Posted By Goodman Acker P.C. || 4-Sep-2015

If your car won't start, you may be able to get it running again with
a jump start from another vehicle. Jump starting an automobile battery
can get you back on the road again quickly — as long as it is done safely.

Jump starting a car can be dangerous if not performed properly. Proper
precautions must be taken. According to the
Sight and Hearing Association, nearly six thousand motorists annually suffer serious eye injury from
improperly jump starting a dead battery. Batteries contain corrosive chemicals,
and when those chemicals are disturbed, batteries can explode. Our Detroit
car accident lawyers at Goodman Acker P.C. have provided this guide as
a part of our
Road Safety 101 blog series. We hope you find it informative!

Can the Car Be Jumped?

The first step is to determine whether the problem is a dead battery. A
dead battery usually causes the motor to crank slowly, or not at all,
instead giving just a "clicking" sound. You can also turn on
the car lights and try turning the key in the ignition. A dead battery
will cause the lights to dim significantly when attempting to start the
vehicle. If the engine is cranking normally but not turning over and then
starting, and the lights stay bright during cranking, the problem is most
likely not your battery, and you should call a tow truck to get your vehicle
to a repair shop.

Step 1: Equipment

Every driver should have a set of good-quality jumper cables handy. Take
out the jumper cables and lay them on the ground. Wear some type of eye
protection and put on gloves prior to connecting the cables.

Step 2: Connecting the Cables

Bring the vehicles close together but not touching. Make sure both vehicles
are turned off, in park, and the parking brakes are engaged. Connect the
batteries together in the following order:

Connect a positive (+, red) end of the cable to the positive terminal of
the DEAD battery.

Connect the other end of the positive cable (+, red) to the positive terminal
of the GOOD battery.

Connect the negative cable (-, black) to the negative terminal of the GOOD
battery. At this point, your cables are LIVE and conducting electricity.
Be careful not to touch the ends together or make contact with bother
terminals.

Connect the other end of the negative cable (-, black) to an unpainted
metal surface on the car with the bad battery. Do not connect to the negative
terminal of the bad battery.

Step 3 - Starting the Car

Start the car with the good battery. Let it run for a few minutes, and
then try to start the car with the dead battery. If the car doesn't
start, check all of the connections and try again after a few more minutes.
If the car still won't start, disconnect all the cables and call a
tow truck. Your problem is probably something other than a dead battery.

However, if it does start up, congratulations! Disconnect the cables in
the opposite order that you connected them, and put away the cables. Do
not turn off your car right away. Drive for at least 15 minutes to recharge
the battery. If your car doesn't start again, the battery is damaged
and needs to be replaced.

We’ve Won Million Dollar Results for Our Clients

At Goodman Acker P.C., we are backed by winning results. Not only have
we handled thousands of personal injury lawsuits, but more than 99% of
them have been settled successfully—resulting in tens of millions
of dollars in compensation for our clients.

$14,500,000.00

AUTO ACCIDENT Wayne County, Michigan

$7,500,000.00

PRODUCTS LIABILITY Livingston County, Michigan

$3,000,000.00

PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT Ingham County, Michigan

Goodman Acker P.C.

5Diane FisherI truly cannot say enough good things about the law firm of Goodman Acker. As a fellow professional in the legal community, I can honestly say that Goodman Acker has the highest standards for their work and always produce outstanding results for their clients. Goodman Acker is passionate about fighting for the rights of their personal injury clients and helping the community. If you are looking for representation for your car accident case, medical malpractice, or any other type of personal injury matter, look no further than the experienced team at Goodman Acker.